Burial-vault.



H. LANIUS.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLIOATION HLBD MAY zo, 1909.

938,250. Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

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Enom/woz annum., s

H. LANIUS.

BURIAL VAULT.

vAPPLIOAT'ION FILED MAY 2Q, 1909.

Patented 0013. 26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nvantoz `:HENRY LANIUS, OF BUCYRUS, OHIO.

BURIAL-VAU'LT.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented oet. 26, 1909.

Applicatin' mea may 2o, 190e. serialize. 497,255.

To all whom 'it 'iny concern:

B e it knownthat I HENRY LANIUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bucyrus, in Athe county -of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Vaults, of which the followingis a specification. y

My invention relates to an improvement in metallic burial vaults, and they object is ,toprovide a door for a vault which can be locked to the vaultl so that it will be impossible to open the door after it has been locked and the casket placed within the vault. 4

' The invention consists of certain novel features of `construction `and combinations -`of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing it applied to a vault; Fig.. 2 isa Viewin end4 elevation showing theI door; Fig. 3 isa view of the inside of the door; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the door and a portion of the vault showing the manner of fastening the door to the wall and sides o f the vault; Fig. 5 is a View of the hubA on the door showing the ratchet teeth von the outer face thereof; Fig. 6Vis a view of the nut,- looking thereinto, and Fig. 7 is a view ofl the latches.

A represents the vault and B is the door, H v

lhub 2 1s provided with vertical slots 19 on which is hinged at one' end of the vault.

A hub, 2, is formed at about the center of the door and journaled i'n the hub is a disk 3 to which are connected arms 4, 4.

Bars 5, 5 extend along the edges of the4 door, and pivotall'y connected to the bars are llnks 7, which links are pivotally connected to the door at 8. These links 7 are connected to the arms 4 by links 9." Latches 10 are pivotally connected to the door and are. pivotally connected at their outer ends to the bars 5 the extreme ends of the latches projecting beyond the bars and adaptedv to be forced over the flange 11, which extends around thel inner walls of the vault.- The' outer ends of the latches are rabbeted so w the latches 10 for limiting them in their oscillatory movements. Clips 14 are formed on the 'door' and extend over the'disk 3 for retaining itin proper position. The center of the disk 3' is preferably formed, with a square opening 15 in which is received a key (not shown) for turning the disk pro- -vided with the arms 4 for actuating the links 7 and 9, which move or oscillate the bars 5 which transmit'motion to the latches 10 for forcing them over and' against the inner side ofthe liange 11 `for drawing the door upon the iange'and locking it there- I to. 4The latches 10 on the upper edge of the door are preferablyconnected together by straps 16. That is, three latches are connected by one strap and the. remaining three Connected by another, -and the bar 5 is pivotally connectedvto the straps. The same operation is performed and the same result obtained as when the latches are all connected by the bar 5 directly, but as the upper portion of the door'is somewhat convex a better connection is formed by applying the straps to the latches and then connecting the bar to thel straps, as the. latches can be thrown against the flange in a better manner.

The hub 2 is screw threaded on its outer surface, and along the outer surface thereof ratchet teeth 17 are formed and a nut 18 provided with the usual screw-threads which are adapted to engage the screw threads of the its inner surface, in which a key 20 is received, a coll spring 21 beingreceived between the key and the base of the nut. After the' disk 3 has been rotated and the latches 10 are brought firmly against the flange 11 for locking the door in place the nut 18 is screwed upon the hub 2. As the nut is screwed upon the hub the key will engage the ratchet teeth 17 of the hub and after the nut has been screwed thedesired distance the key will prevent the nut from being removed. In other words, the' nut can be screwed upon the hub but cannot be removed as the key .will not permit the nut being removed. This connection forms a `locking means which would prevent any one from procuring access to the casket which is placed in the vault.

I have provided latches 22, 22 connected by a bar 23 on the outside of the door which can be operated so that the latches will project through slots in the side of the Vault for temporarily locking' the door.

'kets can be placed and the vault` locked in' such a manner that access cannot be had to the casketl in the vault. Furthermore the connection between the door and vault is such that water or air cannot enter the vault.

Having fully described my" invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure b Letters Patent is:

1. A burial vault comprising a. door, locking means on the door for locking the door to the vault, a disk connected to the locking means, said disk adapted to be o erated for actuating the locking means,` an a locking nut connected to the disk for preventing access thereto.

2. The combination with a burial vault having a liange, of a hinged door, latches pivotally connected to the inner side of the door, bars connected' to the latches, means for operatingthe bars whereb the latches are brought into engagement with the'ange, and late ies pivotally mounted on the outside of the door adapted to be operated for causing the catches to pass through openings forxned in the wall of the vault.

3. A. burial vault comprising a door, locking meanson the door for. locking the door to the vault, a hub on the door, and a disk journaled in the hub connected to and adapted to operate the locking means.

4. A. burial vault comprising a door, locking means ,on the door for locking the door to the vault, a hub on the door, a disk connected to and adapted to operate the locking means journaled in the hub, and a locking nut adapted to be received on the hub to prevent access to the disk.

5. The combination with Aa burial vault having a flange, of a door, latches pivotally mounted on the door, bars connected to the latches, a hub on the door, a disk journaled in the hub, 'links connecting the hub and bars whereby the latches arev thrown into contact with the flange upon the turning of the disk, and a lockmgnut adapted to be received on the hub for preventing access to the disk.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY LANUS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD J. LANGE, CORNELIUS H. MYERS. 

